


Signed, Your Family

by iamavacado



Series: Some Sanders Sides Stories [15]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Alone on Christmas, Being Lonely, Christmas Eve, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Party, Christmas gift, Food mention, Gen, friends can be family too
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-19
Updated: 2018-12-19
Packaged: 2019-09-23 02:21:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17071637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iamavacado/pseuds/iamavacado
Summary: Virgil is alone on Christmas. That is, until his family steps in.





	Signed, Your Family

**Author's Note:**

> This is a gift for @lizzy-mayhem on tumblr! I couldn't wait until christmas and its too long to post onto tumblr alone. "Im only going to make it 1k" i said. lol OKAY

The breeze outside picked up its intensity, sweeping through the open slat in Virgil’s window with a newfound vigor. Thankfully the snow was quarantined outside, but it still fell continuously harder than it had been the rest of the evening. Despite layering himself with blankets, Virgil still had to get up and shut his window all the way, drawing the curtains shut too. What was left of the sun shone weakly through the crack where the two curtains didn’t quite meet all the way. This was something that had always annoyed Virgil, to the point where he went into his book bag and dug around for a safety pin, which he found. He then pinned the curtains shut, his room darkening. 

Virgil went over to his lightswitch and turned the ceiling light on, which bathed the room in its artificial yellowish glow. Just how he liked it. 

When he checked his phone, the time said it was nearing six pm. Six pm on Christmas eve. He looked around his room like something was going to pop out and talk to him. For some reason, he felt like he should be doing something. 

Setting up the christmas tree? He’d already done that last week. It was a smallish thing that sat in the corner of his living room, decorated with cheap, dollar store bulbs. He thought he would be able to put some presents under it by now but--as his Amazon account so kindly informed him--the presents he bought his friends would not be here until at least December 29th. The only thing that was under there was a new pair of headphones he bought himself. Call him pathetic, but he wrapped it in paper and was waiting until tomorrow morning to open it, so at least he would have _something_ to unwrap tomorrow. 

His phone chimed. When he opened it, it was a picture from his mom. It was all of his family members gathered together, in equally ugly sweaters and matching christmas hats, smiling at the camera. They always came together on christmas eve to have a party and exchange some pre-christmas baked goods. Virgil always snagged his cousin Rami’s lemon squares. All in a group, there were about 15 of them: his moms, their sisters and brothers, their boyfriends, their kids, and their kids’ kids. Grandma and grandpa were there too. And there was Rami in the back was sneakily showing off their middle finger towards Virgil. Their tongue was sticking out too. Virgil half chuckled at it.

 **“Miss you Virgey! We all wish you were here. Family says hi from Maine <3”** read the caption.

He looked at the photo for about a minute, taking in everyone’s faces. He saw that one of his moms was wearing the sweater he sent her last year. It was a joke gift, because it was nearly the ugliest thing he’d ever seen, but she still loved it, and she had sworn she’d wear it every christmas. Guess she wasn’t kidding.

Virgil took a picture of himself tiredly holding up a peace sign and sent it back with the caption: **“hi to family from florida”.** He sent it and set his phone back down, glancing around his room once more.

Should he decorate more? There were already some purple lights hanging lazily along his walls, and some christmas decals pressed against the window. Some tinsel sat sadly in a box in his closet, but that was orange tinsel meant for halloween. There were even little pumpkins on it. He couldn’t hang those up in good conscious. Those tinsels were sacred. 

Other than that, there wasn’t much else to decorate. He had a sweater that he owned, but he was saving that for tomorrow to keep some semblance of festivity, even though the only person who was going to see it was him. Well, maybe he’d send his moms a picture. They always ate that kind of stuff up. Then again, they might post it to facebook, in which Virgil would actually jump out a window. So maybe he would keep his sweater to himself.

Virgil sighed, and fell back on his bed, throwing his blankets off of him. Then he reached over and picked up his phone, dialing Patton. 

After two rings, he picked up. “Hey Virge!” he said, sounded delighted Virgil had called instead of texted. “What’s goin’ on, what can I do for ya?”

Virgil opened his mouth, but hesitated. After a moment however, he decided it was worth a shot. “Are you busy tomorrow?”

“Kind of,” Patton replied after a brief pause. “It is Christmas. I’m gonna be hanging with the fam! Opening presents and eating dinner. Gonna be real occupied. Wanna come over?”

Virgil thought of his headphones sitting under his christmas tree all by themselves. “No, it’s fine. I’m going to be opening presents too. Just was...wondering if you were busy.”

There were sounds of shuffling on Patton’s end. Some clinking of glass. “Little busy now too, yeah. Making some cookies for tomorrow! Want to come over and get some?”

“N...no, that’s alright. Thanks though. Talk to you later Pat.”

“Talk later!”

Virgil hung up and let his phone rest on his chest for a few moments, staring up at a crack in his ceiling. It wasn’t like he _didn’t_ expect Patton to be busy tomorrow, but part of him wished. Maybe someone else was free. How could every single person be celebrating with family, after all?

Not feeling like calling again, he texted Roman, who he saw was active. **hey roman, you busy tomorrow?**

There was about a minute before Roman texted back: **I would say so, since it’s Christmas tomorrow. Come over if you want to of course, but aren’t you busy too?**

Virgil made a face at his phone, and looked up at his haphazardly hung lights that lined his wall. They looked lonely. **Yeah im busy. just wondering if you were too. talk soon, peace**

He sat up, looking over at his window. He wondered if snow was still falling. Hopefully enough snow had fallen that he was snowed in so he would have an excuse as to why he was alone on Christmas without people thinking he was just a loser. So he went up and checked, and was actually disappointed when he saw that the snow had stopped. There were only a few inches on the ground. With an annoyed grunt, he pinned his curtains shut again, and looked over at his phone as it sat on his bed. 

Virgil sighed. Should he even try Logan? Would it be worth it?

Why not, he decided, shooting a text to him. What else did he have to lose besides a little bit of hope? **L, you busy tomorrow?**

Logan answered promptly, as he always did. **Yes, I have plans with my family. Celebrating Christmas. Aren’t you celebrating with your own family?**

Virgil looked down at his phone, and a deep sigh escaped him. He texted back, **do you not remember that my family lives in maine logan**

 **Oh, that’s right,** Logan texted back. **Would you like to come over tomorrow to celebrate with us?**

A ghost of a smile flashed on Virgil’s face, but it faded quickly. He would only make things weird. The rest of Logan’s family would only wonder why he wasn’t celebrating with his own family. He didn’t feel like explaining that he was broke and couldn’t afford a ticket back home, and he also didn’t want to make Logan explain why he pity-invited his college friend to his family’s Christmas party.

 **no,** Virgil texted back, **just wondering if you were busy. merry xmas lo**

**Merry Christmas to you as well, Virgil.**

Virgil put his phone onto his bedside table and fell back on his bed again. Yet again, he sighed into the empty air, into his empty room, and into his empty house. Despite how much he hated spending a lot of time around all of his family at once, he sure wished he was home with them. He missed his moms. He missed Rami and their lemon squares. He missed opening presents because he liked the sound of the wrapping paper tearing into pieces. He missed being able to support his little cousin Ava, who had just last year figured out she was a lesbian. Whenever they got together since then, Ava would show Virgil pictures of girls from her school she thought were pretty, and Virgil would try to set her up with some of them, much to her dislike. As revenge, Ava would take Virgil’s phone and send “confession texts” to his friends. One time she sent one to Patton, and Virgil had to have a very awkward reassurance that he didn’t actually feel that way. Virgil pretended to be mad, but Ava could see on his face that he wasn’t.

He just missed home, was all.

***

[Group chat: Roman, Patton added to chat]

Logan: I have a sneaking suspicion that Virgil is lonely. 

Roman: Did he text either of you asking if you were busy tomorrow? 

Patton: He called me, yeah. When i said that i was, I asked him to come over tomorrow and he said that he was just asking me if I was busy.

Roman: Same here.

Logan: He did the same to me as well. His family is several states away.

Patton: He must be really lonely :(

Roman: He didn’t accept either of your offers to come over?

Patton: No he didnt :((

Logan: He said no to me too. 

Roman: hmmm…

Patton: We should do something for him, don’t ya think?

Logan: That’s what I was thinking. I can get out of my family’s party at 5 or so. Want to set something up then?

Patton: Sure! I can probably sneak away at around 3, so I can pick some party stuff up!

Roman: I can bring movies!

Logan: He isn’t a fan of christmas movies, you know that right?

Roman: I’m going to bring NBC, of course.

Patton: NBC?

Roman: Nightmare Before Christmas? Shortening it saves time.

Logan: I actually think that took more time, Roman.

Roman: Shut up!

Patton: Operation Make Virgil Feel Less Lonely Because His Family Is In Maine And He Is In Florida is ago!

Roman: Shorten it to OMVFLLBHFIIMAHIIF to save time.

Logan: How would you pronounce that?

Patton: Let’s go!!!!!!!!!!!!

Logan: This is the plan for tomorrow, you know that right?

Roman: Let’s go TOMORROW!!!!!

Logan: Clarity, gentlemen. Clarity.

***

It was around 6:30 pm. The day was coming to a close. Virgil had woken up, eaten some badly cooked pancakes for breakfast, and put on his festive sweater. He almost didn’t want to send his moms a picture since they’d surely plaster it all over any social media platform they could find, but he sent one anyway. He missed his moms’ reactions when he would try on new clothes, even if he did pretend to hate it. In the caption, he threatened homicide if they posted it anywhere, and they swore themselves to secrecy. 

And five minutes later, he found it on facebook with the caption “I don’t care if you’re in college now, you’ll always be my baby (and you can’t tell me what to do ;P)”. She had tagged him too. In the comments, he just said “blocked and reported”. His other mom replied with a heart. 

After that, he opened his headphones. He spent the whole day listening to music in them, trying to write. He really didn’t want his whole house to be quiet since it was Christmas, and he was used to spending Christmas enduring a lot of noise. So he slapped all his songs into a single playlist and pressed repeat. He made it through the entire playlist twice. 

He begrudgingly made some mac and cheese for himself and settled into his bed once more. A few minutes in, however, he got a text from Patton. 

**Virge! I need your heeeeeeelp!!!!!!!!!!**

Virgil raised an eyebrow at the text. What could Patton possibly need help with on Christmas day?

**Need my help with what?**

Right away, he got a reply: **I was trying to handmake a gift for Roman but it fell and broke when I got to his house!!!!! I’m hiding in his room and telling him I’m adding finishing touches but he keeps asking what im doing in there and i need your help to fix it PLEASE !**

Virgil looked at the text with suspicion. Why would he need Virgil’s help? Well, he figured, since it was a present for Roman, it wasn’t like Patton could ask Roman for help. Regardless, it wasn’t like he had any other plans for the night anyway, so he covered up his mac and cheese and headed out.

***

When Virgil pulled up into Roman’s driveway, the others’ cars were parked there. Hmm. Weren’t they supposed to be at their own homes celebrating Christmas with their families? Curiouser and curiouser…

Virgil stepped out of his car and locked it before heading up and knocking on the door. After a few moments, Roman answered, but he only stuck his face through a small crack in the door. “Who are you and what are you doing here?” he asked teasingly. 

“Pat asked me to come over and put some finishing touches on your present,” explained Virgil. He crossed his arms over his chest. “But part of me is suspecting that that isn’t what’s going on.”

Roman scoffed. “I haven’t the faintest idea what you’re talking about.” He looked down, then back up. There was a smirk on his face. “I love your sweater, by the way. Very festive.”

It just now occurred to him that he had forgotten to take the sweater off. Oh well. It was Christmas, what else should he be wearing? All leather black and no colors at all? Actually, that would be pretty cool. Virgil tucked that thought away for another time. “What do you have in there Roman? It’s obvious your family isn’t here.”

Roman stuck a condescending finger in the air, ala Sherlock Holmes. “Ah! But that's where you're wrong my dear friend. My family is here. So is yours. Would you like to see them?”

Virgil rolled his eyes. “I highly doubt you brought my entire family _and_ your family down here at once Roman.” He started to push the door open and shove Roman out of the way. “Instead of messing with me, why don't you just tell me what's--”

As he pushed open the door, he stopped in his tracks. Roman backed away to reveal a banner hanging from the ceiling of the living room. It was purple, and the writing read: **“MERRY CHRISTMAS VIRGIL!!! -signed, your family.”** It was also decorated with an unholy amount of stickers. An abundance of green and red tinsel hung around the walls, messily taped on. In the corner, a Christmas tree was blinking its lights rapidly. There was even music playing--no, not just any music. The NBC soundtrack! Virgil spotted Roman's phone hooked up to a speaker on a table near the tree. Said table was filled with bowls of snacks, a make-your-own-hot-chocolate bar, desserts, and what he thought were some leftover pots of Christmas dinner food.

Standing under the banner was Patton and Logan, both sporting birthday party hats and holding balloons. They both yelled surprise upon seeing him. 

“I'm taking this off now that you're here,” Logan said, discarding the birthday hat. “It's not even close to your birthday.”

“We ran a little under budget,” explained Patton, “had to improvise.”

Virgil looked at Roman. “Wh...what is this?”

Roman was basically jumping up and down from excitement. “A Christmas party!”

“For you!” added Patton. 

“For me?” Virgil walked over to the table, looking at all of the food that decorated it. He started to look away but then he saw something familiar. “Lemon squares?” 

Patton picked one up and took a bite. “Yeah! I messaged your cousin Rami and asked for their recipe. You always talked about how good they tasted. Take one!”

Virgil looked down at the little desserts. He hesitantly picked one up and tried it. 

“I know it isn't perfect,” Patton explained, “but maybe it'll make you feel more at home.”

He took a bite, and had to physically restrain himself from making a very strange noise of contentment. Virgil fought a grin, and lost. He smiled wide. “They taste amazing Patton. Thank you.”

Virgil turned back around and took the room in again. There was no one else here. Just him, Roman, Logan, and Patton. There was music, and food, and a banner with his name on it! It was just like a party.

“You guys did this for me?” he asked them. “Why?”

“Actually, it was my idea,” said Logan. “But, I guess they helped a little bit.”

“I cooked!” Patton said. “And stole the leftover potatoes from my house.”

Roman pointed at the tinsel and banner. “I decorated. And I'm the DJ.” He indicated the music playing, and hummed along a few notes to Making Christmas.

Virgil turned back to the table. He grabbed another lemon square, and a cookie for good measure. “Why did you arrange this for me? Why aren't you spending this time with your families?”

“You are our family Virgil,” Logan said. “Just as much as my siblings are my family. It would be rude to not spend time with _all_ of my family members this Christmas.” He then also snuck by and stole a lemon square. “These are quite good.”

“Logan's right--” Roman grabbed a piece of tinsel that had fallen on the ground and threw it at Virgil-- “you are our family. And we all want you to be able to celebrate the same as the rest of us.”

“But, you all said you were busy…”

“We have to make time for family, right?” asked Patton. 

Virgil looked at Patton. Then Roman. Then at Logan, who was wiping crumbs from his face. All this time, he was missing his old family. But he had one that was just as good sitting right in front of him. He smiled, and fought the urge to cry. Crying was for when you were alone. And right now? He was the furthest thing from it. 

“Thank you guys,” he said. “I appreciate it.”

“We love you too!” exclaimed Patton. “Now crank that music!”

Roman did as he was told. “Operation OMVFLLBHFIIMAHIIF is a success!”

Logan looked at Roman incredulously. “How did you remember that?”

**Author's Note:**

> MERRY CHRISTMAS FRIEND!!!! You mean a lot to me and are so special to me and i love you !!!! (to other readers: leave a comment maybe? i had fun writing this)


End file.
